What is Biodiversity ?

Biological diversity - or biodiversity -
is one of the key terms in conservation, encompassing the
richness of life and the diverse patterns it forms. The Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD) defines biological diversity
as "the variability among living organisms from all sources
including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic
ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are
part; this includes diversity within species, between species
and of ecosystems".

Europe hosts a unique set of natural diversity,
including hot spots like the Mediterranean. The 12 new Member
States bring new biodiversity riches to the EU. However, biodiversity
loss has accelerated to an unprecedented level, both in Europe
and worldwide. It has been estimated that the current global
extinction rate is 1000 to 10000 times higher than the natural
background extinction rate. In Europe some 42% of European
mammals are endangered, together with 15% of birds and 45%
of butterflies and reptiles. The Arctic fox, the Iberian lynx,
native squirrel are all under serious threat. There are only
a few hundred lynx left, for example, living in four pockets
of land in Spain. Cut off from one another, the big cat communities
are being weakened by inbreeding.

Biodiversity matters for Ethical, Emotional,
Environmental and Economic. Ecosystems have intrinsic
value. They provide emotional and aesthetic experiences. They
offer outstanding opportunities for recreation. They clean
our water, purify our air and maintain our soils. They regulate
the climate, recycle nutrients and provide us with food. They
provide raw materials and resources for medicines and other
purposes. They form the foundation on which we build our societies.